Computer Opponent in an Artillery Game: How the AI Shoots in SiegeArc

SiegeArc is a turn-based artillery game for Android from BeeClear – the studio that also builds mobile apps and WordPress plugins. Two medieval castles bombard each other across mountains and against the wind. In single-player mode your opponent is an AI – a built-in rival that calculates every shot using the same physics you do. See how this mechanism picks angle and power. You’ll also learn how the difficulty levels differ and how to beat the machine.

Why can a computer opponent ruin an artillery game?

A computer opponent ruins an artillery game when it hits regardless of the conditions on the battlefield. In that kind of match, wind and elevation only make life harder for the player. A loss teaches nothing then, because the rival isn’t facing the same obstacles. It’s also hard to plan a defense when you don’t know what rules the other side is playing by. The opposite extreme is just as frustrating: shooting at random. Beating an opponent like that gives no satisfaction at all.

A good rival in this genre plays by the same rules as a human. It has to calculate the arc, correct for wind, and clear the mountains. Then every hit it lands is earned, and every miss gives you a chance to counterattack. That’s the principle behind the AI in SiegeArc. You feel the effect from the very first battle, because a loss always has a concrete cause.

How does the AI in SiegeArc choose the angle and power of a shot?

The AI in SiegeArc chooses the angle and power of a shot through simulation, not by reading off a ready-made answer. Before its turn, it searches a grid of angles and power levels for each projectile type. It runs every attempt through the same physics you use. That physics accounts for gravity, the current wind, and the shape of the terrain.

From these attempts the AI picks out the best plans and refines them with more precise calculations. Only then does it fire. The accuracy of that final step depends on the chosen difficulty level. So the rival never cheats by knowing the solution in advance, even though it can surprise you with its precision. You’re playing against something that thinks through the shot the same way you do – just faster.

Does the AI in SiegeArc have an advantage in reading the wind?

The AI in SiegeArc has no advantage in reading the wind, because it works from the same data as the player. Wind strength ranges from 4 to 15 percent and pushes the projectile left or right. The current value is shown on screen. By default the wind is re-rolled before every volley, but in the settings you can lock it for the whole match.

The same goes for terrain. Between the castles stand 2 to 4 hills, and the distance is randomized by default within a range of 500–750 meters. You can also set a fixed distance from 400 to 800 meters. Missed shots gouge out craters that permanently reshape the battlefield. The AI factors these changes into its later simulations, just as you have to account for them when aiming.

How do the AI difficulty levels in SiegeArc differ?

The AI difficulty levels in SiegeArc differ in the quality of the chosen plan and the margin of error on the shot. The underlying calculation method stays the same, so even an easy rival plays with real ballistics. What changes is how close it gets to the ideal. Here are the three options to choose from:

Level	Opponent’s playstyle	Margin of error
Easy	often picks a mediocre plan	aims imprecisely
Normal	aims solidly	average
Hard	fires very precisely	minimal

The Easy setting is good for learning the controls and fighting your first battles. Normal already calls for deliberate aiming and keeping an eye on the wind. Hard punishes every miss, so it’s worth switching to it once you’re comfortable with the projectile arcs. You can change the level in the game settings, so it’s easy to match the challenge to your skill.

Why does the AI shoot more accurately as its castle weakens?

The AI in SiegeArc shoots more accurately as its castle weakens, because the game deliberately ramps up the drama toward the end of the duel. The more damaged the opponent’s fortress is, the more precisely it answers your hits. So being ahead on points doesn’t guarantee a calm finish. A rival pushed to the wall can claw back losses with a few good volleys.

Each castle starts with 1000 durability points. Halfway through the battle a lead can look comfortable, but the final turns demand full concentration. That’s exactly why a win feels more satisfying than one against a passive opponent. You have to finish the enemy off before its growing accuracy turns the siege around. Can you afford to ease up then? No, because every turn of delay works in the weakening rival’s favor.

How does the AI use the three types of projectiles?

The AI uses the three types of projectiles the same way the player does, because it simulates the flight of each type separately. It even accounts for ice shards sliding across the terrain. With limited ammunition, both sides have a fixed number of rounds set in advance. Here’s the arsenal you and your rival choose from:

• the cannonball takes about 22 percent of durability off with a direct hit on the center of the castle, and you get 5 rounds per battle,
• the cluster shell breaks apart at the top of its arc into 5 bomblets and takes off about 15 percent on a full hit, with 3 rounds in reserve,
• the ice shot deals about 10 percent on a direct hit, and after striking the ground it scatters into 4 shards, of which you have 2 rounds.

Ice shards slide low, forward and backward, so they can hit either castle, including your own. The AI’s simulation accounts for these shards too, so the opponent factors in that risk. For you, that’s a hint not to fire ice into the terrain right in front of your own walls. A cluster shell, meanwhile, works better against an area than for precise finishing shots.

How do you beat the AI on Hard difficulty?

Beating the AI on Hard difficulty comes down to precision, not the number of shots fired. SiegeArc rewards hits near the center of the castle’s base with full damage. A hit on the edge of the silhouette only deals 30 percent of that value. The following rules also help:

• aim at the center of the wall’s base, since that’s where the accuracy bonus is highest,
• finish off the ruins with a low, flat shot, since a destroyed castle has an ever-smaller silhouette,
• keep track of total damage dealt, since once ammunition runs out the side with the better score wins,
• watch the craters, which change the trajectory of both sides’ following shots.

If you’d rather settle the battle purely by tearing down the walls, turn on unlimited ammunition. No projectile type ever runs out then, and keeping score stops mattering. That mode is great for practicing aiming into the wind.

How does playing against the AI differ from a duel between two people?

Playing against the AI differs from a duel between two people in that the rival calculates its own shots and doesn’t need a second person. In two-player mode, both sides aim manually on one phone, and the machine takes no part in the battle. Both variants use the same wind, distance, and ammunition settings. So the experience you build fighting the AI carries straight over into matches with friends.

Training against the machine is a good way to prepare for a rematch with a friend. On Easy you’ll learn the cannonball’s and cluster shell’s trajectories without pressure. Normal teaches you to read the wind, and Hard shows you how important it is to finish off the ruins. Then you hand the phone to a friend and see who has mastered the ballistics better. The loser can always go back to practicing against the computer before the next round.

How do you start a duel against the AI in SiegeArc?

You start a duel against the AI in SiegeArc by choosing single-player mode and a difficulty level. The game is free, runs entirely offline, and doesn’t require creating an account. Wins and losses are saved permanently in the menu, so it’s easy to track your progress. A single battle takes a few minutes and fits even a short break. Before you start, you can pick the castle distance, wind mode, and ammunition supply in the settings.

You can download the game from Google Play, and you’ll find details and screenshots on the SiegeArc app page. Set your angle, check the wind, and find out whether you can outsmart an opponent that calculates just like you do. Bring down its castle before it brings down yours.